


Discoveries

by HK44



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Fluff, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 14:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20893766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HK44/pseuds/HK44
Summary: Arthur will never stop surprising Merlin.





	Discoveries

There was, if nothing else, that Merlin despised more than laundry. Perhaps if he wasn't spending his time tirelessly scrubbing dirt and blood out of Arthur's cape, it wouldn't feel so menial. His fingers still burned with the special solution he had to use 

In Ealdor, clothes were washed until they were clean  _ enough _ . If there was something you particularly liked, you did your best  _ never  _ to dirty it. The idea of having special cleaning solutions on hand specific to certain stains went about as far as the concept of leaving town. Which likely explained Merlin's predicament.

He supposed there were worser fates. Arthur could be home, ordering him to muck out the horses. As it was, most of the palace was out, the castle practically empty. Off on an excursion to another kingdom. Arthur had attempted to yank Merlin along with him but Uther had dismissed the notion of such a clumsy fool at the presence of other nobility.

The rest of the servants sought it as time to relax, take moments to themselves, even Gaius had left for the day to collect herbs and seek out new readings, but for Merlin, who had been backlogged for weeks after flitting from one deathly adventure to the next, he was trapped under a mound of laundry, dirty dishes and polishing to get done. Not to mention resorting the cupboards for Gaius, labeling and compiling new jars and bottles, studying another set of incantations and reading up on poisons and other subtle causes of death and destruction.

With all the attempts on Arthur's life and Gaius being as old and fragile as he was, it was best he get ahead on that as soon as possible. Merlin had no doubt that Gaius would be with him for another decade or so, given the man seemed steadfast in serving until the end - unless he was dying in Merlin's place, of course - but with as many far out adventures as Arthur chose to descend on, Gaius would not always be there when needed and the likelihood of always being within a day's journey of Camelot was dwindling down on a thin line.

Merlin glanced around Arthur's room nervously. He knew he had  _ time _ to get everything done before Arthur got back, maybe even some time for a little rest and relaxation, but Camelot was down to only a couple handful of guards and without the king. The castle was always being raided by someone and what good was Merlin if he was too busy polishing armor to stop a raid of the kingdom? What good was Merlin to Arthur's future, to his destiny, if he was busy being assassinated, leaving Arthur with no kingdom to run, no place to bring magic back, no home to return to and no people to call him "King"?

The very institution of Arthur's life hung and weighed on Merlin's mind at every moment but at least Arthur was functional. He could fight for himself. He could win. And Arthur was still only ever one person Merlin had to protect.

This was an entire scope, a  _ palace _ , and Merlin was only one man.

He could not remain vigilant for Arthur's sake, if he was too busy cleaning up after him.

Nervously chewing at his bottom lip, Merlin sighed deeply and grabbed his key off the bedside table. He would lock the door, close the drapes and do a quick run around the kingdom and palace. That would clear his mind. And in the meantime,  _ magic _ would have to do his chores until he got back.

He could already see it playing out for the next week. Using magic to cook and clean and sort and everything else he had to do while he hobbled around Camelot like a skittish dog. The risk he took with that was great but the idea of an invader sneaking in terrified him to his core. The Knights of Camelot were barely functional as it was. Arthur kept them in shape and alert.

Now that he was gone… 

Merlin yanked the drapes shut.

It was paranoia, nothing more. But this time he could barely fight against it. He whipped his hand towards the laundry pile he had set off in their own basket to be dried downstairs. With ease, the clothes were dry and starting to fold themselves over into neat little piles.

Pleased, he turned around and-

"Arthur," he whispered.

Arthur stood in the doorway. His hair was splayed against his face, wet from sweat. His eyes were trained firmly on the clothes, still folding themselves. Merlin swallowed thickly.

They stopped.

Perhaps he could pretend nothing happened. Perhaps he could pretend Arthur was hallucinating. Or ill.

"Arthur-"

"Merlin, if you're going to do magic, at least make sure no one is in the damn room first," Arthur snapped, slipping inside and pushing the door back shut. It locked with a resounding  _ click _ . "You could be killed for that, you fool."

Merlin's breath caught in his throat. All words jammed in place.

"I mean, I always knew you were a blithering idiot, but I still assumed you had some sense of self-preservation." Arthur tugged his cloak off and threw it on his bed.

Merlin was still frozen in his place. He knew what he had to do - run and run  _ far _ \- but his legs kept him trapped firmly where he stood. "You- you  _ knew? _ "

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Of course, Merlin. You're a terrible liar, I've told you that at least a dozen times now. And you have all the subtlety of a hog."

It bit at him to retort angrily back but he couldn't find the words. "How- how long?"

"Long enough," Arthur said flippantly as he unhooked the clasp to his sword's holster.

" _ Arthur _ ." Their eyes made connect, all intensity behind Merlin's feverish skin against Arthur's attempt at being laid back in a way that had never been natural to him. "Please. How long?"

Arthur stared him down for a moment. Then his eyes softened and he looked away. Hie fingers tugged at his belt as he stripped it off him and laid it out, sword still firmly attached, onto his bed. He picked at the crest embellished at the helm.

"When we went to Ealdor," he started slowly. "Your friend took the blame for you. I didn't know it then but I had my suspicions that he'd lied. He was on his deathbed. Taking the blame for a friend would've been easy.

"I thought back to the first time we'd ever battled. I've tripped, I've fallen, I've gotten my weapon stuck before but never _so_ _much_ in such quick succession." He drew back from the sword, pulling his hands into himself. "You weren't winning, you were getting lucky, but you acted as though you'd done something and you've never been like that since.

"Not to mention, branches just don't break off of trees the way they do when you're around, Merlin." Arthur sat back into his chair, slumped and relaxed.

But his body was open, exposed, his weapon laid out only a few feet away. 

Vulnerable.

_ I trust you _ .

Merlin shivered at the thought of it. Arthur, of all people, demonstrating his trust by removing all concept of a threat to Merlin, who he knew had the power to snap his neck in a swift second, if he so pleased.

"I-" Merlin frowned. "I didn't realize I was being so obvious."

"Only to those who were looking," Arthur said slowly. "Now are we just going to sit around talking about your inability to properly hide yourself or are you going to finish doing your duties?"

Merlin exhaled sharply. Of course. "Yes,  _ sire." _ He grabbed the basket of clothes and moved to take them back downstairs. "Er, don't touch the bathwater. Still has solution in it."

Arthur grimaced as he stood. Merlin rested the basket on his hip, making for the door.

"Merlin?"

He paused. "Yes?"

"Isn't there an easier way for you to get your duties done?" Arthur pressed. 

Merlin took a moment, glanced at the basket and nodded. "Oh." He exhaled with a soft smile. "Of course. Thank you, sire."

He sat the basket back down and went to folding the clothes back up, comfortably in Arthur's room. The first time he'd done it, he'd been loudly informed by Gwen, Uther's manservant and even Gaius that unless cleaning the room was his task, he wasn't actually supposed to  _ clean _ anything in Arthur's room. No matter how convienent. Of course Arthur wasn't there so he could get away with it.

Luckily, it seemed Arthur didn't care.

Arthur let out an exasperated noise. Slowly he stood and squatted down in front of Merlin. "Merlin."

"Yes?"

"Isn't there an easier way for you to do this?" Merlin paused, glancing down at the clothes and then at Arthur's face. Arthur's face dropped fast. He closed his eyes, looking as weary as his father. "Merlin, why don't you  _ try _ doing it the way you were  _ before I came in?" _

Merlin's heart jumped in his throat. "Uh- I-" He shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Arthur grit his teeth. "Merlin, do it the way you were." He sat back down in his chair, regarding Merlin like a passing interest. "That's an order."

For a moment, Merlin was sure he'd been wrong. Arthur was going to kill him, he just wanted absolute certainty. If Merlin denied him that certainty… well, he wasn't sure what would happen but he doubted it'd be pleasant.

Arthur's posture on his chair remained open. Even around his father, he didn't sit like this. He was  _ lounging _ .

Merlin bit his lip but he looked down at the basket in front of him. Without a word, the clothes began folding itself over. Arthur watched them quiet. His brows were furrowed in contemplation and then he exhaled sharp.

"You don't need incantations."

"Not with simple things," Merlin admitted. "Like this.

Arthur didn’t look at him but his voice was steady as he asked, “What else?”

Merlin picked at his clothes. He was risking so much already but Arthur… “I’ve always been able to levitate objects. Animate objects require more concentration.”

A grimace slid over Arthur’s face. “Like people?”

“Yeah.” He dropped his gaze from Arthur. “Stopping time is more instinctual. Harder to do with intent but I’ve been working on that when I can. Never know when I need to stop another dagger from striking you.”

He laughed light, a little awkward. After a brief second, Arthur followed. The laughter between them faded off into tense silence.

“What about a dagger striking you?” Arthur suggested after a few minutes trickled by. “You get yourself in just as many situations as I do. In fact-” He laughed. “-my situations are usually your fault. Always getting captured, nearly dying, running off to the tavern when I need you most. Am I forgetting anything?”

“You’re such a prick.” Merlin rolled his eyes.

“I mean it though, Merlin.” Arthur cocked his head. “I realized. You used your powers to benefit you but ever since, I haven’t seen you try anything. Even when no one else is around, when you’re alone.”

“I may have magic, Arthur, but I’m not going to just throw it around-”

“But you did.”

How could he explain to him? To tell him how much he sank himself into Arthur’s destiny, how their fates were so entwined in this way that Merlin’s magic no longer belonged to himself.

It belonged to Arthur.

The confession burned in his chest. It had for so long. This choice he’d made, a choice he could barely remember making, had sat firm in his chest, his very soul for almost as long as Arthur had been his. For so long, he’d ached to confess the truth to Arthur. To let him know of the power he could wield in Arthur’s name, the use Arthur could have.

But Arthur was so devoted to his father, Merlin held back.

But now. 

Now there was no point.

“My magic is… It’s not mine anymore, Arthur.” He looked up at him. “It’s yours. My magic is only for you. I will only ever use it for you. I decided that ages ago.” Going stiff, Arthur blinked in shock. Merlin’s stomach churned. “Why didn’t you kill me? When you knew?”

Arthur stood up. “I wasn’t sure I was right. I had to be sure. You may be the worse servant I’ve ever had but you’re the only one that’s been  _ mildly _ entertaining. I couldn’t risk offing you without reason.”

Merlin snorted. “I’ve never been so flattered.”

Arthur smirked then his face fell flat as he looked away from Merlin. Now he was gazing up to the ceiling. “I suppose by the time, I realized I was right in my suspicions, I’d already become so used to the idea of you as a sorcerer, I was no longer concerned. You have never tried to hurt me or Morgana or my father. I realized... how much you protect me. Why would you bother if you were just going to kill me?”

Pain wracked Merlin’s chest as he shot to his feet. “I’d never kill you, Arthur.” He ducked his head. “Never consciously anyway.”

“I know, Merlin.” Arthur’s hand caught Merlin’s cheek. “I know,” he whispered.

In his chest, under his ribs, Merlin’s heart hammered out a nervous rhythm. “Arthur, why are you here?”

“I came down ill,” he said. “Or so, my father believes. If he asks, I went straight to Gaius and was bedridden for several days.”

As Merlin stepped out of Arthur’s grasp, he asked, “And in reality?”

Arthur caught Merlin’s other cheek, stilling him between his hands, so warm to the touch. His skin was calloused from years of work, rough on Merlin’s cheeks. “In reality, we’ll just be doing whatever we do.” He stepped in close. “I thought… maybe we could… go somewhere for a while. You could be yourself.”

A choked laugh broke out of Merlin’s mouth. “Arthur-”

“Merlin, I don’t want you to hide anymore.” Arthur stepped in closer. His breath warmed against Merlin’s skin. “Not from me.”

Merlin's heart near broke from his chest. "I won't anymore then."

Arthur's hands, still so warm, so warm Merlin felt feverish as they slid down his cheeks over the sides of his neck and rested on Merlin's shoulders. With a quick squeeze, Arthur grinned but there was something pained within the twist of his lips. "Merlin, I just…" He faltered and ducked his head, laughing quietly and wrong.

Merlin rested a hand against Arthur's side, squatting until he could see his face, peer into his eyes. "Is everything alright?"

Arthur swallowed thickly. His Adam's apple bobbed. He pulled himself back up and Merlin followed with the motion. Flustered, Arthur drew a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "I just-" He gestured vaguely. "Oh, for fuck's sake, Merlin."

Before Merlin could even begin to question what he'd done this time, Arthur has grabbed the front of his shirt and  _ yanked  _ him in close. His lips were dry and chapped but about as warm as his hands had been. One hand lingered, clenched against Merlin's shirt. The other dropped, entangling it's fingers against Merlin's. 

There was almost no hesitation. He twisted his fingers into a tight clasp against Arthur's, tugging him closer still.

It hit him like a wave. A final understanding of why Arthur was valued to him outside of his status, outside of  _ destiny. _ There was death by duty and death by nothing else but utter devotion, sacrificing to protect another, but Merlin and Arthur had gone far above such notions for each other.

Merlin had long since agreed to the notion that he would rather protect Arthur or die by his side. Never would he allow Arthur to go into death alone.

With a soft gasp, Merlin pulled back. Arthur didn't dare let get of him but his eyes dropped, almost embarrassed or ashamed.

"I missed you," he admitted, so quiet he might as well have not said it in the first place.

"It's barely been a day," Merlin laughed. "You couldn't go that long without me calling you a clotpole?"

Arthur snorted, eyes catching Merlin's. "I thought I was a dollophead?"

Merlin grinned. "You're both.  _ Sire _ ."

Arthur rolled his eyes but his hands refisted against Merlin's shirt, the action grounding them both to the situation.

"How long have you been pining for me?"

Arthur scoffed. "I don't  _ pine _ , Merlin."

Merlin shrugged. "Lust then."

Arthur sent him a little glare but didn't refute it. The thought sent Merlin's stomach aflame. How many times had he accidentally walked in while Arthur was pleasuring himself in his bed or bath? How many of those times had it been with Merlin in mind?

"I was upset," Arthur said slowly, "when my father refused to let you come. Morgana… she tried to get me to see  _ why _ but it wasn't until I was already on my way back that I realized. I don't know  _ when _ . Just that… I do." Arthur cleared his throat. "And you?"

"Since Sir Valiant." Merlin smirked. "I suppose not wanting a pile of snakes to secretly murder you was the first indication anyway."

"Tell me, Merlin," Arthur started, tugging Merlin so close he could feel the heat off Arthur's skin from under his shirt, "have you always been a little shit or did you just decide to be that way when you met me?"

"Well, you were a bit of an  _ ass,  _ my lord," Merlin shot back. His hands tightened against Arthur's. "So it's really your fault either way."

"Merlin." 

"Yes?"

"Kiss me again."

**Author's Note:**

> I first saw some episodes of Merlin when I was really young but since it came on after I went to bed, I didn't get to watch much. Luckily! Netflix exists!
> 
> Anyway this was just a quick drabble I scribbled out the last couple days of being sick. Hope you guys liked it! 😊
> 
> [ Other links ](HTTPS://hk44.caard.co)


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